CHICAGO: GUARDS: The best guess on DERRICK ROSE is a February return. But an ACL injury usually isn't 100 percent until the second full year back . . . With Rose out, KIRK HINRICH figures to play heavy minutes early. He's a defensive specialist who will pass and watch on offense . . . NATE ROBINSON could push Hinrich for minutes. He's the offensive half of that platoon, but Thibodeau almost always leans defense . . . RICHARD HAMILTON will carry a bigger offensive load while Rose is recovering. He's a shadow of his former self . . . MARCO BELINELLI is a nice addition. He's solid defensively, and he brings the long-range shooting Chicago lacks. Don't be surprised if he pushes Hamilton . . . Rookie MARQUIS TEAGUE will mostly sit and watch this year. FORWARDS: After avoiding wrist surgery, LUOL DENG should be Chicago's top scorer while Rose is out. He's the only one on this team who even has a chance to generate his own offense . . . CARLOS BOOZER continues to be a major disappointment. In the past it's been his atrocious defense, but now he's taken a step back offensively as well. He may score more with Rose out, but he'll continue to sit late in close games . . . TAJ GIBSON should be in for a bigger role. With Omer Asik gone, he's one of only two defensively capable bigs on this roster . . . VLADIMIR RADMANOVIC will try to replace some of the three-point shooting they lost when Kyle Korver left . . . JIMMY BUTLER has a puncher's chance at a rotation spot after a good summer. CENTERS: JOAKIM NOAH was still working his way back from that badly sprained ankle this summer. His durability is questionable, but the Bulls will have to lean on Noah for more minutes now that Omer Asik is gone . . . NAZR MOHAMMED steps into Asik's role as Noah's backup. But while Asik was an active defender, Mohammed is more of just a big body with six fouls to give.

LA CLIPPERS: GUARDS: CHRIS PAUL was every bit an MVP-caliber player in his first year in L.A. They should monitor his minutes late in the regular season to keep him fresh for the playoffs. . . His Achilles is on schedule to be healed by December, and CHAUNCEY BILLUPS will start once he's healthy. He's likely to lose athleticism, and his leash could be short if he shoots as poorly as he did last year . . . JAMAL CRAWFORD steps in to lead the second unit. We'll see how quickly his inefficient, shoot-first ways grow stale . . . ERIC BLEDSOE was a stud in the playoffs. He can't play extended minutes alongside Paul, but coach Vinny Del Negro knows he has to get Bledsoe on the floor . . . WILLIE GREEN provides capable depth, but he's on the outside looking in at the rotation. FORWARDS: BLAKE GRIFFIN's knee injury likely isn't serious enough to linger into the season. He's starting to develop some post moves to go along with his dunks . . . CARON BUTLER played hurt for most of last year, but still did enough to nail down a starting job for this season . . . LAMAR ODOM moped his way back to L.A. Don't be surprised if he has a strong bounce-back year, especially considering he'll be the Clippers' best defensive big . . . GRANT HILL could see some starts, but more likely the 40-year-old is pegged for limited minutes . . . MATT BARNES will replace Hill once he injures himself again . . . RONNY TURIAF will provide some of the toughness they lost when Reggie Evans left . . . TREY THOMPKINS will continue to languish on the bench, especially after sitting out the preseason with a knee injury. CENTERS: He can block shots and rebound, but at this point DeANDRE JORDAN is just too much of a defensive liability in space to play 30-plus minutes. That's why the Clippers will often pair Lamar Odom with Blake Griffin in the frontcourt . . . RYAN HOLLINS can also defend the basket and has six fouls to give.

While the Los Angeles Clippers are off to their best start in six seasons, the Chicago Bulls have been rather inconsistent while playing without their injured star.

The Clippers look to end their recent home struggles against the Bulls while trying for a fifth straight win Saturday night.

Los Angeles is 6-2 for the first time since 2006-07 thanks to some strong a few of the league's top teams. Blake Griffin had 20 points with 14 rebounds while Chris Paul added 16 and 10 assists as the Clippers ran their home winning streak to three games Wednesday with a 107-100 victory over Miami.

They also have wins over the rival Lakers, San Antonio and Memphis - all at Staples Center, where they've played seven of their first eight.

"These wins are good, but we're playing at home and we expect to win," said coach Vinny Del Negro, whose team had two winning streaks of at least five games last season.

Echoing their coach's sentiments, Los Angeles' players won't make too much of the early success even though they are shooting an NBA-high 49.5 percent and averaging 102.8 points.

"It's early, very early," Paul said. "We don't want to get ahead of ourselves. Just keep playing the right way every night."

Los Angeles outscored Miami 33-20 in the third quarter thanks in large part to Paul, who scored the Clippers' final 13 points of the period during a 13-4 surge.

"He makes things happen and that's why I've always felt that he's the best point guard in the game," LeBron James said.

The Clippers may need Paul and Griffin to be at their best as they try to avoid a third consecutive home loss to Chicago. Griffin has totaled 66 points, 26 rebounds and 10 assists in the last two home meetings with the Bulls, who won both by a combined 31 points. Paul had 15 points and 14 assists as the Clippers lost for the fourth time in five home tries against Chicago, 114-101 on Dec. 30.

Chicago (5-3) had star Derrick Rose for four of those meetings, but continues to play without the former MVP as he recovers from a torn ACL. After opening with back-to-back victories, the Bulls have alternated losses and wins in their last six contests.

Carlos Boozer had 28 points with 14 rebounds while Joakim Noah and Luol Deng each scored 21 as Chicago opened a five-game trip with a 112-106 overtime victory at Phoenix on Wednesday. The Bulls' 2-0 road start is their best since winning their first six away from home in 1996-97.

"I think it's good for us to get on the road and be together," Deng said. "It's good that we got a win. Now we'll try to get the next one."

The Bulls hope to play better and keep focused after blowing an 18-point third-quarter lead and being outscored 31-17 in the fourth Wednesday.

"The lesson we have to learn is we have to play tough with the lead," coach Tom Thibodeau said.

Noah has been tough to stop while averaging a career-high 16.0 points and pulling down 9.8 boards per game. He scored 19 at Los Angeles in December.

Deng has averaged 21.8 points on 51.6 percent shooting in his last four against the Clippers at Staples Center.